


Metal x Metal

by orphan_account



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:00:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26433052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lin has always been unflappable, everyone who meets her soon learns that. But when her life does a 180 and breaks her walls, will someone slip in before they're back up?
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 60





	1. Introduction

It was an unbelievably, unbearably hot day. And it just so happened to be the day Etayla Li was taking her physical exam to become a police officer of republic city. Under the cruel sun, she stretched with her fellow metalbenders, all of them already beginning to sweat. Etayla, or as she preferred, Etay, wasn't too nervous. Growing up on the worst streets of Republic City happens to give confidence. She had always wanted to be a cop, a detective to be more specific, and now, at 22, she was doing it.  
What didn't help, however, was the watchful gaze, but not quite, of Toph Beifong, Chief of Police and the first metalbender. There was a pair of eyes on her and her fellow recruits, brilliant green ones belonging to Lin Beifong, a mirror of her mother, aside from her eyes.  
Etay listened closely as the instructions for the course were given, hanging onto every word.  
Toph ‘watched’ the aspiring officers closely. She felt each of their heartbeats, all quick and nervous, except one. That one was a she, unusual, as the police force was (sadly) predominantly male. She was toned and held herself with an easy air of confidence. Toph hoped she’d be interesting, confidence could so easily become arrogance. If she didn’t make it, Toph was a dancing Badgermole. She glanced at her daughter, albeit without moving her head, and her brow furrowed, She had finally had to order her to come along to watch the recruits take their test, after politely asking multiple times (although Toph was rarely actually polite). She hoped the recruits weren’t a mundane batch, otherwise, she’d never get her to come again.  
It wasn’t like any mushy mother-daughter time, she just got bored. Although, she did wish Lin would look a little less annoyed, perhaps scowl a little less. She never could take anything work-related as possibly enjoyable. Suyin did, that is, when she worked at all.  
Someone barked out an order and the recruits took off, the one with the calm heartbeat in the lead, although it was fast accelerating. She leapt over the first batch of obstacles easily, trashcans, chairs, etc, and scrambled over a low wall in a second. She hit the ground running, and quickly came up to the second part, benders.  
First was a waterbender, throwing ice shards. She dodged them easily, an interesting tactic for an earthbender, whos root philosophy was to stand one’s ground. She tapped the bender on the shoulder, at which point she would have tackled and cuffed him, had it been real. The instructors didn’t want them to waste time performing something they were well aware they knew how to do, though. ' _She moves just like twinkletoes_ ,' Toph mused. Strange indeed, this earthbender who moved like an airbender, and she made quick work of the firebender.  
However, when faced with a fellow earthbender, her movement changed to traditional earthbender style, holding her ground. She was solid and blocked instead of dodged. Soon he too was passed, only slightly slower than the others. Toph wasn’t disappointed. At this point, the others were left in the dust. All she needed to do now was metalbend.  
Etay panted from exhaustion, sweat dripping into her eyes. Damn this heat! A tall wall rose up in front of her. Now was the time to use the metal cable. It was in the same alignment as it would be if she was wearing full police armor, so the only difference when she wore it would be the extra weight. She bent the cable over the wall, felt it catch, as retracted it, ascending to the top. Once there, it fully retracted and snapped into place.  
Toph furrowed her brow, not for the first time that morning, and wondered if that recruit was crazy. She had no idea where she was, as she had jumped from the wall and Toph needed contact to see at such a distance. Just then, there was. She felt hands first. She dove?! To Tophs surprise, she went in, as if it was water, and not sun-baked earth. “Interesting,” she said aloud. Lin only huffed. The girl ‘swam’ up and popped out of the ground, Lin snorted.  
Etay hit the ground running, flying through the other cable work. She did some various metalbending as well, bending the dirt off her from her ‘swim’ as she did so. Quite obviously, she finished first, with full marks.

Etay drank greedily from the water fountain but quickly turned it over to the next person in the long line. She snatched up a towel and began drying off sweat. “Recruit, or should I say, officer?” Etay turned to find herself face-to-face with Toph Beifong. “Chief Beifong!” Etay bowed, her left hand a fist pressed against her right. She straightened. “What’s your name?”  
“Etayla Li, Chief.”  
“Well, Li, I have a few questions for you.”  
Her tone was commanding, and Etay immediately knew why she was so good at her job. The way she spoke demanded respect. “Of course, Chief.”  
“First off, I’d like to know how you learned how to move the way you did, it certainly wasn’t taught to you by an earthbender, it resembled the airbender style.”  
Etay cleared her throat, “I grew up surrounded by Triads, I guess I learned from the water and firebenders, it’s a combination of their styles. Although, I’ve found earthbending techniques to be better against fellow earthbenders. If I may,” Toph nodded, “why’d you want to know, Chief?”  
“You just reminded me of twinkletoes, what you did, is all.” Etay repressed a snort. “T-twinkletoes?”  
“Aang.”  
“Oh, I see. I’m honored.” Etay had forgotten that Chief Beifong and Avatar Aang were good friends. ' _She doesn’t even call him Avatar, just Aang. Oh, Spirits. I-I’m talking casually with Toph Beifong. Wow._ ' “Don’t be, trust me. Second, who taught you that diving trick?” Etay shifted her weight back and forth, embarrassed. “I would suppose I taught it to myself, but I got the whole idea from Badgermoles.”  
“Unsurprising, actually, they’re normally the root of all interesting bending. In fact, they taught me to ‘see’.”  
“Oh, I was unaware. Is that all, Chief?”  
“One more thing. Do you live near the main station?”  
“I-I suppose. I’m a bit closer to the one in the third quadrant, but yes, Chief.”  
“Well, then, if it isn’t any trouble I’ll have you at the main station. We’re short an officer, and besides, it’d be a shame to let you waste away in the third.” Wait, I’m going to be at the main station. By Chief Beifong’s preference. And she just gave me a compliment. A round-about one, but one nonetheless. Holy shit. “It would truly be an honor, Chief.”  
“I’ll see you in three days, then. My office, bright and early, Li.”  
“Yes, Chief.” Etay’s fantasy was quickly becoming a reality.


	2. Etayla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Etayla and Lin officially meet, and Etayla shows some unexpected traits.

The three days later, her first day, Etay rose earlier than normal. She was one of the rare morning people, but even this was stretching it. She groaned and rolled over. It must be her nerves, she kept telling herself. “I’m going to be at the main station, where Chief Beifong is. Because I was personally invited. She wants me in her office first thing in the morning, she couldn’t possibly be giving me an assignment, could she? No, not on the first day.” Grudgingly, Etay hauled herself out of bed to make herself breakfast and a coffee.  
Her apartment wasn’t the fanciest, nor was it a hole in the wall. Etay had worked decent desk jobs, do she wasn’t too bad off. She also occasionally competed in high-stakes gambling. And won. Every time. The only reason she had the apartment was for the kitchen and the decent neighborhood. A shitty two-room apartment would have been fine, but she wanted to be away from Triads and ratroaches.  
She went back to her room to get dressed. When she passed the test, she was given her uniform. So, when she spread her arms and concentrated, it flew out of her closet and wrapped itself around her. She let her arms fall to her sides, and rolled her shoulders, testing her new range of movement. To her surprise and relief, she couldn’t discern any differences between wearing the armor and not, besides the weight difference. It was surprisingly light, but Etay wasn’t complaining. She went to her mirror, looked into her hazel eyes, saw her standing straight in her uniform, her hair in a neat ponytail at the base of her neck. She smiled, “Well, hello, Officer.”

Toph had not been in her office for ten minutes when she felt Officer Li’s footsteps approaching her door. She stopped, presumably about to knock, “Come in, Li.” She let herself have a quick smirk at Li’s obvious surprise before the door opened and she stepped in. “Chief.”  
“Have a seat, Officer.” A faint smile crept across Li’s face, and she sat. “It shouldn’t be long-” Lin opened the door and stopped. “My apologies I was unaware-”  
“Sit down, Lin.” Etay internally screamed at the tension in the air, it was quite obvious Toph and Lin Beifong did not have an easy relationship. Toph leaned back in her chair. “Li is here because we have been short an officer ever since Hulai transferred to Ba Sing Se. As she is filling the gap Hulai left, I believe she should fill his position as well. That is to say, your partner, Lin.” Etay’s eyes searched Lin’s face for her reaction. She personally had no objection, she honestly hoped to learn from Lin, but Lin’s face betrayed no emotion, except her eyes. They were fixated on her mother, and their pupils were narrowed. Yep. She was pissed. Etay cleared her throat, “If that’s all, Chief, I should go get settled into my desk.” Toph nodded and Etay quickly made herself absent. 'Well,' Toph thought, 'she already knows when to leave Lin and me alone. Here it comes.'  
“Seriously? I’m being partnered with a rookie? How’d she even get here? The only rookies we have are rookies in the sense that they’re new to the area. Besides, I can do just fine on my own. I _don't_ need a partner.”  
Toph sighed, “My decision is final, Lin. You might be surprised. You would be if you saw her test results,” Lin scoffed, “You will take her on patrol when you go out, understand?”  
“Yes, _Chief_.” Lin turned on her heel and stalked out.

*Lin’s POV*  
That newbie had already buried herself in the paperwork that had already piled up on her desk by the time I came out of my mother’s office. I couldn’t believe this! Me, paired with a newbie? Tch, I’d have to vent to Tenzin later. I checked the clock on the wall and to my despair, it was already time to go on my rounds. I got up from my desk and crossed the room. Li, was it? She was flying through the paperwork, I glanced at it and it was perfectly done. Well, she had that going for her. “Li, right?”  
She looked up from the form she was filling out, “Yes, that’s right.”  
“We’re on patrol, c’mon.”

“So, uh-”  
“What?” I snapped back,  
“I was thinking, it might be a little confusing, Lin and Li, so should I call you Beifong, or should I use my first name?”  
“I prefer not to be called Beifong on the job, it complicates things.”  
“Oh, I’m Etayla, but please, call me Etay.” Etayla, huh? Perhaps I should look at her file later. I focus more on what’s going on around us as I drive my usual route, but the rookie is distracting. It’s weird because they’re just sitting there in the passenger seat, but her eyes make up for it. They’re hazel, and they seem both soft and sharp at the same time. They look comforting, yet fierce enough to see right through you. I think maybe I’ve underestimated this rookie a bit, but I shake the thought from my head.  
*Etay’s POV*  
I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, but hello, Ice Queen. Lin Beifong is sitting next to me, driving the Satomobile we’re in, and she is by far one of the coldest people I’ve ever met. That’s saying something, considering I’ve come face-to-face with some of the most notorious criminals in Republic City, even Yakone! Although Yakone isn’t really cold, he just has a seriously bad God Complex. Lin, on the other hand, seems to be pretending I’m not even here. Perhaps it’s through a strained relationship with her mother and her expectations, maybe because she’s a Beifong? Or it could be she was close with the person I’ve replaced, good friends, perhaps? I glance at the rear-facing mirror and see a pair of dice hanging from it. Lin doesn’t seem like the type, so I assume they’re from Hulai. I look around the Sato for any other personal things he may have left behind, to give me a glimpse into who he is. That is part of detective work, right?  
However, I don’t find anything. She doesn’t strike me as sentimental, since the Sato is completely depersonalized besides the dice, so I think it’s safe to assume she kept them as a memo. The dice are plain, white with black dots, but well worn as if they were shaken a lot. I look closer and see that the dice are held on by magnets. If they are detachable, then they were probably played with, and the magnet attachment suggests a type of loaded dice. A police officer, playing with loaded dice? Either he was good at what he did, or only played for fun, and not for any stakes. Although I’m getting ahead of myself, they may well be Lin’s. Rather than pose the awkward question, I stare at the dice until she notices. “They were Hulai’s, he metalbent the string to the mirror and I haven’t had the time to undo it.” Well, it confirmed my theory they were his. “Did he play dice?”  
“You think just because they were his he played dice? No.”  
“No, I think he played dice,” I stopped and pulled them off the magnets, “Because they’re worn like they were used, and they are detachable. They are magnetically connected, so they have metal in them, for a metalbender, undetectable loaded dice. Now, I assume he was very good at hiding it, or he played for fun. Then again, even those who are good at hiding it mess up, I’ve seen it before,” at this point Lin was looking at me incredulously, “Some of them get beat up on the spot, some get a pat on the back and a drink, and some flee. I once knew a guy who got found out, he was in such deep trouble from playing so much, almost as much as these dice were played with,” I turned them over in my hand, “That he ran all the way to Ba Sing Se.” There was silence. “You- you got all that from what? A pair of dice? You’re kidding.”  
“The dice, I assumed were Hulai’s, as I saw nothing else personal and you don’t strike me as the type to have something like that. I know loaded dice when I see them, and since your former partner was obviously a metalbender, I simply made a theory on what I saw, what I didn’t see, what I knew, and my own personal experiences.” I smiled at the shocked look on her face, “You- a simple theory. Right.” Our conversation probably would have continued, but our round had ended. I nodded at Lin and exited the Sato, leaving her with a blank look on her face.

Lin didn’t have anything to do but sit at her desk and wait for a call or paperwork, and what Etay had said intrigued her. She had called it simple, so obviously she was highly intelligent, but were her physical skills up to par? “Hey, Etay.” Etay looked up from her paperwork, still perfectly done, “Yes, Lin?”  
“There’s a sparring arena in the basement.”  
“Say no more!” Etay rose and followed Lin to the arena. Once there, Etay posed Lin a question: “I wonder why you want to see my physical ability, considering you already saw it.”  
“I did, did I?”  
“I do believe that was you, three days ago, standing next to your mother as I took my final test?” Lin started laughing, surprising Etay. She had a nice laugh, actually. “That-” she choked out words in between gasps, “That was you? You, you just popped out of the ground! Oh, this is great, I get to call you Badgermole now!” Etay turned bright red, “S-stop! Please don’t!”  
“You can’t stop me, Badgermole!”  
“This is torture!”  
“I bet you wished you hadn’t said anything, Badgermole.”  
“I swear to everything that is good, I will do anything to keep you from calling me that!” A smile spread across Lin’s face as she crossed her arms. It wasn’t a nice smile, no, it sent a shiver up Etay’s spine. “I-I’m going to regret saying that, aren’t I?”  
“Yep.”  
“I have but one condition.”  
“What is it?”  
“Don’t start until tomorrow.”  
“May I ask why?”  
“To give me time to write my will.


	3. Unlikely Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something doesn't seem quite right about Lin's behavior, so Etay trusts her instincts, and mind, to find out why.

Unwittingly, Lin let Etay close, closer than she had ever intended, especially only after two weeks. Etay survived, she soon realized she didn’t need her will, which she actually wrote. All she had to do was stay as late as Lin did, which was late, but Etay never slept much anyway. Nothing eventful happened until it went off.

Etay struggled against the firebender, he was surprisingly strong, but she got the upper hand, and shoved him into the armored Sato, slamming the doors behind him. She and Lin had just finished arresting a Triad in the middle of a robbery. Something was bugging Etay, though. She had picked up a little slack that Lin had left, something she never did, at least as long as Etay had known her. For the past few days, actually, it had been going on. It was certainly out of character for Lin, that was for sure. She climbed into their Sato, and turned on the radio, tuning it to the frequency of the main station. “This is Unit 22-T, checking out. Over.” There was static, “Got you loud and clear 22-T, you are marked off-duty. Enjoy your evening, Etay. Over” She smiled, “Thanks, Moti, you too. Over.” Etay put the radio back and leaned back in her seat. Lin opened the door across from her and jumped into the driver’s seat. “We’re off-duty, Lin.”  
“Oh, really? I’ll walk home, then. I’m not far.” She hopped back out and started walking. Etay switched sides and turned the Sato on. “I’ll just drive this back, then. And fill out the arrest report. No problem, Lin, don't sweat it.” Etay shook her head and began driving back to the station.

Etay was out in forty-five minutes, about, but it was already dark. She walked home, changed into plainclothes, and went to the parking garage under her apartment, where she kept her own Sato. She had a decent bit more than what she could afford with her police officer’s salary, but winning high-stakes gambling helped. A lot. She decided to drop by Lin’s. When she arrived, she looked up at the building. She knew it well, it was known for it’s ‘apartments’ that took up two whole floors. ' _Beifongs. Tch._ ' Once she made it to the floor Lin said she was on, she knocked, but Lin didn’t answer. Instead, a woman Etay assumed was a maid or housekeeper opened the door. ' _Of course. They’re rich. Get used to it, Et._ ' “Can I help you, miss?”  
“Yes, I’m here to see Lin.”  
“I’m afraid she isn’t here.”  
“Really? She said she was going home when our shift ended.”  
“None of the Beifongs have returned since they left this morning.” Etay got a sick feeling in her stomach, “Oh, well, thanks anyway. Good night, sorry to have bothered you.” The maid looked surprised, and Etay couldn’t blame her, most of the visitors were probably either delivering something or were rich pricks that had no manners. “Good night, miss.” As soon as the maid had closed the door, Etay bolted down the stairs. She got into her Sato and rushed off, the sick feeling only getting worse.  
She stopped outside the train station. She had a mixed feeling about it, so she decided to go in. No train came after dark, so no one was there except junkies who weren’t even conscious. She bolted over to the tracks and slammed her foot into the ground, pushing up the ground to send none other than Lin Beifong flying off the tracks and into Etay, who grabbed her and didn’t let go despite Lin’s feeble protests. Without saying a word, she marched Lin to her Sato and they both got in. Etay started it and began to drive before she spoke. “I don’t know what the hell has been going on with you for the past few days, but I’m going to find out sooner or later, so please, don’t make this difficult and just say what it is.” Lin stayed silent for a while before finally speaking, and when she did it wavered, as if she was about to cry. “How’d you know where I was?”  
“Call it an educated guess. Are you going to answer my question now?” She made to turn right, but Lin stopped her, “Can we take a left?”  
“Uh, yeah, sure.” Etay thought about what was to the right, and it all fell into place. A view of Air Temple Island was to the right. “It was for the best, you’ll be happier without him, you’re too good for him, forget about him. By now you’ve probably heard all of them, and more. But I won’t say them, because none of it’s true. It may or may not be for the best, you certainly aren’t happier, at least not right now. You won’t and can’t forget about him, and you shouldn’t anyway. The few times you talked about him, you looked genuinely happy, and you shouldn’t forget that. I will say that he doesn’t deserve you. Not after all the pain he’s caused you. You were laying on the train tracks, Lin. Now, I know that trains don’t come after dark, but still. You’re responsible, accurate, infallible, but you haven’t been lately. I’m not asking you to talk, just to listen. I know... I-I’m not great at this kind of thing, but I can try, right?” She looked at Lin, whos face was to the window, but she could still see the tears silently rolling down her face. She did speak then, but it was barely a whisper, “T-Tenzin said it wasn’t because I don’t want to have kids, and he was lying. He said there wasn’t anyone else, and he was lying. I asked him- I asked him if it was Pema, and he said no. He lied. P-perfect Pema. Anyone with eyes could see the way they look at each other.” She fell silent.  
“Wait, wait, wait. He was with her before he ended it?” She looked at Lin, who gave a slight nod. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I have mad respect for him now.” Lin looked at her with murder in her eyes, “What?”  
“He had the audacity and the guts to do it while still dating you, risking a lot like that. It may well be the stupidest thing he could have done, but he did it.” Lin turned to look at Etay, who was smiling but looking ahead at the traffic. “You’re beautiful, not hot-tempered, but your anger is still something to fear, and you’re truly strong. Not just physically, but in who you are as well. You’ve managed to do that and not become jaded, and those are a few of the many things I really admire about you, Lin."  
*Lin’s POV*  
I looked at Etay’s face, a half-smile visible in the glow cast by headlights and streetlamps. I feel a sob well up in my throat at her pure honesty, something Tenzin hadn’t given me when he- I can’t think about it without breaking down. Not now, not in Li’s car. I won’t do this, not here. I tear my eyes away from Etay, and I feel a hand on mine. I look back at Etay. She is here, and that's enough to let the tears and sobs I had been suppressing for days finally loose. And as I pour myself out, she sits there, without the pity I fear so much, saying nothing, letting me expose myself as I never had to anyone before. At this moment, I know, she is going to be there for me, whether I want her to or not. She saved my life tonight.  
When I finally stop crying, I look at Etay. The lights casting an alternate shadow and light on her face mesmerizes me. I don’t know if it’s one minute or half an hour I look at her, but before I know it, we’re at my apartment building. I dry my face, and while I know I can’t do anything about how my eyes are red and puffy, I’m comforted by the fact that my mother shouldn’t be home yet. I don’t think I have the courage to face her, even after everything that Etay said. But I’m thankful. For once in my life, I am. Etay bids me good night and I do the same to her. I can’t believe this is the same person I thought I would never want to know.


	4. Hidden Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Etay shows off her hidden talents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I fixed some formatting issues in the previous chapters
> 
> Ages:  
> Etay:22  
> Lin:25  
> Just so there isn't confusion, yes. Lin is older, and has been on the Police Force since she was 18.

“I can’t believe this.” It had been over a month since Tenzin had broken up with Lin, and Etay had finally managed to talk Lin into going to her favorite casino. “I especially can’t believe you have a goddamn favorite casino. How often do you go?”

“Let me be clear, it is my favorite because I have never been, no one knows me. Well, maybe some waiters, they tend to hop around a bit.”

“So this is how you figured out Hulai played dice? Because you do the same thing?” Etay looked at her with mock horror, “My dear Lin, the next time you so much as  _ suggest  _ I play games of chance, I’ll throw you in a Tigermoose den. No, I play cards.”

“Hmpf.”

A burly bouncer stood outside the alley-side entrance of the “Ganto Casino”. Lin suddenly saw a way out, she had forgotten her ID. But her hopes were crushed when the bouncer said, “Ey! 174! I haven’t seen you in forever! Who’s the friend?” Etay shook his hand, “Good to see you too, Jeff.” She winked, and Jeff let them both pass. “The  _ bouncers  _ know you? Spirits, do  _ I  _ know you?”

“You will, Lin, you will.” Etay sat them at a table with a group of guys playing poker. “Unless you got three thousand yuans, take a hike, ladies.” Etay pulled a key out of her pocket. “This is the key to a safe deposit box. If you want to take a gamble, you might find something… worth your while.” She had obviously piqued their interest, some of them sat a little straighter. “All right, you’re in.” Another one piped up, “She’s got something, but what about her friend?”

“If you don’t mind, talk like we can actually hear you because we can. When you talk to me, look me in the eyes, or are you such a wuss that you can’t look at a woman who talks back?” the table was silent. The one who seemed to be doing all the talking, probably the one who won most of the time, broke the silence. “Well, what are we waiting for? Deal us in!”

Etay held her cards, the other players already having laid theirs down. She smiled and put hers down. “Full house, suckers.” The others looked at her in awe. “Wait, I know who you are! You’re 174!” Etay’s smile turned into a smirk, “Right you are, boys.” she pulled the chips toward her. “And I believe I’m right in believing you owe me three thousand yuans each.” they reluctantly pulled out their checkbooks and wrote out the checks. Etay took them and nudged Lin, who was in a daze. She knew very little about poker, but she knew Etay absolutely crushed them.

Once in Etay’s Sato, she spoke, “174?” Etay turned red, looked away, and mumbled something Lin couldn’t make out. “Et? C’mon, tell me what it means.”

“A lot of people I know call me 174 because it’s my IQ.” Lin stared at the still beet-red Etay. “You have an IQ of  _ 174 _ ? Why haven’t you tried to be a detective? That explains how you could call your trail of thought about Hulai  _ simple _ . Also, why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t say anything because it never came up in conversation, and bringing it up otherwise sends the wrong signal. Also, I’m way too tired of the IQ nicknames. Y’know?”

“Good point, I guess you’re right. What got you into poker, anyways?”

“I played it occasionally, and I was good at it. I eventually realized if I was good enough, I could play for stakes for a one-way ticket out of the shit hole I lived in. Now, it supports my apartment I shouldn’t be able to afford with an officer’s salary. It keeps me out of the shit neighborhoods, in essence.” Lin looked at Etay. She smiled at the bit of Etay’s past she had been given.

Ever since she had grabbed her off the train tracks and just, well, been there for her, Etay and Lin had grown far closer. Etay had told her about her sisters, and Lin had told her about hers. Etay had two, Zhu and Verna. They called Zhu by her full name, Zhu Li. She was pretty serious, but she still had a sense of humor, she was a non-bender. Verna was in a Triad, Et and Zhu distanced herself from her. She was a nasty piece of work, and a prodigy firebender to boot. Lin had talked about how different she and Suyin were, but she did admit she was a lot like Etay.

They actually spent time together outside of work, something Lin never thought they would do. Before that night, it had only been at each other’s homes, and it took a lot of convincing on Etay’s part for her to get Lin to do otherwise. Now, Lin was driving them to her house. “ so, when we get back, who should we order from?”

“Actually, how about instead of takeout I make us something? Since tonight seems to be a trip in my life, I’ll show another one of my hidden talents?”

“As long as you don’t try to get me to cook, I can’t even boil water properly.”

“Really. Boiling water?”

“Yeah, I either put too little in and it evaporates before it gets to a boil, or I let it go too long and it boils over. When it comes to cooking, Beifongs in general are just…  _ bad _ .”

“Aight, I won’t make you help.”

Etay had never laid eyes on Lin’s kitchen, but her reaction was priceless. “I just wanna say, for the record, that rich people are the best.”

“Pfft, what?”

“This kitchen is huge! C’mon, for someone who loves to cook, this is amazing.”

“Whatever you say, Gordahn Ramsai.” Lin took a seat behind the counter as Etay looked through her cabinets, grabbing what she would need. The door opened behind them, and a man Etay guessed, and rightly so, was the Beifong’s chef walked in. “Oh, Miko, you can have the night off.”

“Thank you, Lin.” He turned and walked right out. They could hear a muffled conversation outside, and Suyin came through the door. “Who are you?”

“Su! You don’t have to be so rude!”

“Whatever.” 

Etay interjected, not wanting to give any chance for a heated argument between the sisters. “I’m Etayla Li, but I go by Etay. I’m Lin’s partner, pleased to meet you.”

“Suyin Biefong, but I’m sure you already know that.”

“Yes, I do. Hungry? I’m cooking.” Etay gestured at the seat next to Lin, which Su took, smiling at Etay. “I’m glad at least Lin’s partner isn’t a stick in the mud. Maybe you’ll rub off on her.” Lin rolled her eyes, while the two of them laughed.

Although having her sister next to her was uncomfortable, Lin smiled at Etay’s ability to befriend anyone, including her. However, an uncomfortable feeling formed in the back of her mind, one she knew well, as she had directed it at Pema. Why in the four nations would she be jealous of Su?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't normally post this much, but I recently went on a 6-hour car trip and wrote the whole time. So, yeah.


	5. The Syndicate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Etay lands herself in a pit - one that she made herself. If her ridiculous IQ got her into it though, she's sure that it, along with some clever guess work, can get her out of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Etsy's first case! I will focusing quite often on her cases for a break from dealing with her relationships (for the most part)

Lin stared up at the ceiling of her room, unable to sleep. She couldn’t get the feeling of jealousy out of her head. ' _Why would I be jealous of Su all of a sudden? Was it because…'_ Lin didn’t want to face the truth, she knew _why_ she felt jealous, it was just hard to come to terms with. ' _We’re just friends! There’s no reason I should feel like this! All Su did was make her laugh.'_ She flipped over and sighed into her pillow. ' _I can’t believe this.'_

As usual, Etay wasn’t given time to knock on Chief Beifong’s door before she was invited in. She found it impressive and disturbing at the same time. “What is it, Li?”

“I want to take the detective exam, Chief.” Toph set down the braille report she was ‘reading’, “The detective exam.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“Do you think you can pass if you take it?”

“Wholeheartedly, Chief.”

“Then by all means, of course.” Toph opened a desk drawer and sorted through papers until she came to the one she needed, which Toph handed to Etay. She turned to leave, and had her hand on the doorknob when Toph spoke, “One more thing, Li.”

“What is it, Chief?”

“Why do you want to be a detective?”

“Being a beat cop is one thing, I make arrests, send Triads off to jail, but until their leaders are behind bars, it’ll never stop. Catching the ones at the top, that’s a detective’s job.”

*One Week Later*

Lin glanced at Etay, who was deep in thought. “What’s on your mind, Et?” Etay smiled, set down her papers, and sat up. “I got my results.”

“Results?”

“For the detective exam, I took it a week ago.” Lin swatted her arm, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Just incase, y’know, if I failed.”

“But obviously you didn’t, did you? That’s great news! I can’t believe you thought you could fail, genius.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know.”

“Do you have a case yet?” Etay sighed and slumped onto her desk. “That bad, huh? Lin crossed her arms and leaned back. “My first case, and I’m supposed to do half and half, be the detective, but join the arrests.”

“Arrests? Plural? Geez. Is it a drug bust, or what?”

“Apparently, I broke the system of the test with my stupid head so _damn_ much,” Etay slammed her forehead into her desk, “That my first assignment is finding the location of a non-bender syndicate ’s weapon stashes. Stashes! I don’t know how many there are, or if it’s all a trap because the intel we got is nothing! Just a _hint_ that they _exist_. I don’t even know if the source is reliable! This so-called ‘case’ is damn near impossible. All I can hope for is for it to be a hoax.”

“You’ll get it, if that brain of yours got you into this mess, I have no doubt it can get you out.” Lin meant every word, but she was secretly disappointed. ' _Detective? So we aren’t partners anymore.'_

Etay stared at the map of Republic City pinned to the bulletin board. There had to be _something_ that could give her more information. She paced, wondering what she could do. A thought came to her, an idea that could prove to be either pointless or the answer to her problems.

“Resigning so soon, Li?”

“No, Chief. I believe I know a way to find the location of the weapon stash, or at least prove if it exists at all.” Toph sat up straighter, “What do you need?”

“The list of all the locations of the syndicate ’s confirmed crimes, and for good measure, a list for those that are related to organized crime but not to any particular gang or organization.”

“The _location_ of the crimes?”

“Yes, although, if it comes with what the crimes were, that would be helpful as well.”

“You do realize the amount of information you are asking for is long enough to be a novel, right?

"Yes, Chief. I only need the past year, though."

"Alright. It's still a lot of information, but go ahead."

There's a voice. It sounds familiar, but Etay can't place it. It's saying wake up, wake up, detective. It says detective teasingly. Why is it so familiar? "What the hell?!" Etay woke with a splutter, cold and dripping wet. "What the hell was that for?!" Lin shifted her weight to one side and crossed her arms. " you wouldn't want anyone to catch you sleeping on the job, would you, _detective_?"

Etay sighed, "I suppose not. You coulda slapped me, then at least I wouldn't be wet."

Lin cocked an eyebrow, "Is that an invitation?"

"Ha, no. I'd rather get thrown in the ocean than have you slap me. I like my face intact, thank you very much."

"Fair enough. So," Lin looked at the board on the other side of Etay’s new office, “What’s up with that?"

" _That_ ," Etay picked up the stack of police reports she had been going through, "is a map of Republic City, with every crime the syndicate has committed, and some they may or may not have, marked in pins."

"And the point if this is?"

"I assume you know what profiling is?"

"Yes, it's using crime scenes and victimology to determine who the criminal is."

"Crime scenes and victimology amongst other things. What I'm _trying_ to do is make a _geographical_ profile. In other words, I'm using their crimes to find the weapon stashes. If, that is, they exist."

"How does a bunch of pins in a map help? It just looks like a mess."

"Well," Etay stood and metalbent another handful of pins into the map, "Once I mark the one mile radius around each pin that represents the 'comfort zone', the one area that overlaps should have the cache."

"Et." Lin said gently, resting her hand on Etay's shoulder. She looked at her with a soft look in her eyes. "I think maybe the stress is already getting to you."

"Y'know, Lin, I thought you were actually being sensitive for once. I am _not_ stressed out." Lin stepped back and made a face. "Ok, ok, maybe I _am_ a _little_ stressed, but my mind is just fine. The theory of 'comfort zones' was used by the Fire Nation for a very long time until early in the Hundred Year War, so I'm not completely out on a limb."

"It was discontinued, though?"

"Yeah, Sozin called it 'outdated' and ordered his generals to stop using it. Good thing he did, or the Southern Water Tribe would have been wiped out most likely."

"Spirits, are old battle strategies your idea of light reading, or what?"

"On occasion. Mainly I read ancient Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom philosopher's works, records of Air Nomad guru's and Water Tribe Shamen, etc." Lin looked hard at Etay, who was drawing the circles, or 'comfort zones' she had mentioned. "You, you're not joking."

"Nope."

"You should meet Uncle Aang, besides the air acolytes, who are _great_ fun to talk to, Tenzin's the only one interested in that sort of thing."

" _Uncle_ Aang, huh?" Etay smiled, her unbearably annoying smile that Lin had learned was usually followed by a snide remark. "If that's the case, you were dating your cousin!" Lin turned red, "Et!" Etay ducked as Lin swiped her hand towards her head. "It's true!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I write using Google Docs and when I'm finished I select it and paste, by some miracle I accidentally made this chapter 1,234 characters long. OwO


	6. The End is Only the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Detective is on the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting less often, but with longer chapters. I will work on Lin & Etay's relationship, but Etay's cases will be a big part of the plot as well.

Two dozen metalbending officers stood outside the seemingly empty warehouse on the outskirts of Republic City. Among them were Chief Beifong and Detective Li, the detective on the case that had brought them there. Except for the occasional clink of armor, the night was still and silent. Moonlight reflected off their armor and the warehouse in front of them. It had busted out windows, peeling olive green paint, and lewd graffiti. Scrap metal leaned against its walls, some propped up as lean-to's used by junkies and the homeless, all of whom had been cleared from the scene. The last thing they needed was someone high out of their minds giving them away. "Li," Chief Beifong spoke in less than a whisper, "If you're wrong about this, your career is over before it's begun, you know."

"I know, Chief. I'm confident, though. Borderline arrogant right now. They're in there. I know it."

"Very well." Chief Beifong raised her arm, and there was a slight clinking as everyone stood at full attention, awaiting her next signal. She dropped her arm towards the warehouse, and the officers surged forward, bending the door off its hinges and surrounding the area. Storage boxes stood fresh on the grimy floor, but no one was to be seen. "Search the area! You four, get those lids off." The officers in question dutifully undertook their task set by their demanding Chief as the footstep of their fellows echoed outside.

The metal lids of the boxes were soon removed, and inside lay everything from hand grenades to tasers to firearms, all packed neatly in fresh sawdust. "Well, Li, I'll be damned. Get ready for your picture to be _all_ over the newspapers tomorrow." The sound of approaching Satos echoed between the rows of warehouses. "And get ready for your interview." There were shouts and cussing outside, presumably members of the syndicate that were caught. They were joined by the pestering of journalists. Chief Beifong and Etay sighed in unison. “No matter how many times I hold a press conference or answer questions about arrests, it still sucks _major_ ass.”

Camera shutters clicked, an inconsistent metronome to the barrage of questions they attacked with. Etay blinked, the flashes of light were incredibly annoying. One advantage she supposed Chief Beifong was glad to have that came with being blind was immunity to such distractions. “Chief Beifong! How long has this been under investigation?”

“Five days.”

“Who was the detective on the case?”

“Detective Li.”

“Is Detective Li here?” Etay butted in, wanting to get it over and done with. “Yes, I am, I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone has about the case.” Chief Beifong nodded in thanks and walked off to help with some of the rowdier syndicate members. “How long have you been a Detective Li?”

“Two days.”

“How did you solve this case in less than half the days it was open? Especially as this is your first case?”

“Considering that the closing of this case would be finding a location, I used an old Fire Nation strategy, dating back before the Hundred Year War. A ‘geographical profile’, if you will.” Etay would have continued, but her pause was slightly too long, and the reporters were impatient. Etay, on the other hand, was, and the other questions were answered easily. Finally, the reporters dispersed, taking their cameras and questions with them. Etay took a deep breath and closed her eyes, seeing spots. The criminals were on their way to the city jail, but most of the officers involved were still at the scene, taking evidence or preparing to leave. She walked over to a parked Sato and knocked on the window, startling the Lin Beifong, who was inside. "Spirits, Et!" Etay smirked, "Mind if I catch a ride back to the station?" There was a click of the door unlocking, and Etay swung herself inside. “How could I refuse a new _celebrity_?”

“Ugh.”

The city was just as alive as it was in the daytime, if not more, at night. The streetlights cast a familiar glow through the window. Etay rested her head in her hands. Lin had teased her mercilessly for the majority of the drive, which was almost coming to an end at long last. The warehouse was far away from the station. As the station came into sight, Etay cleared her throat. “So, Lin.”

“Mmm?”

“There’s a restaurant that opened not too far from my apartment recently, I was wondering if you would like to go?” Lin parked the Sato and turned to look at Etay. “Are- are you asking me on a date?” Etay smiled her utterly annoying smile and shrugged, opening the door as she did so. “Yeah, I guess I am. I’ll pick you up at six tomorrow night!” With an enormous grin plastered on her face, she jumped out of the Sato and started walking home, leaving a dumbstruck Lin behind the wheel. ‘ _She didn’t let me answer… Well, she probably knew I would have said yes._ ’

When Toph Beifong finally returned home, Lin was sitting on the couch in the living room reading the paper. When she closed the door, Lin looked up and sighed. “That disappointed to see me?”

“No, mom, I was just sitting up for Su is all.”

“So she’s not back yet? She’s probably staying somewhere else, then.” Toph closed the door behind her, only for it to be opened again, by Suyin. She barely acknowledged her mother, and the first thing she said was, “Lin, why are you blushing?” Lin’s face reddened further, “I am _not_ blushing!”

“Uh, yeah you are. What, did someone ask you out on a _date_?” Again, Lin’s face reddened and Su gasped. “Oh my Spirits! I was only joking! Who is it? You said yes, right?” Lin buried her face in her book, but mumbled, “Yes, I said yes.”

“Liiinnn! Who is it? C’mon, tell me!”

“Yes, tell us!”

“Mom! You too?” Toph sat down heavily in a chair that looked as if she did so often, “You’ve been boring ever since Tenzin broke up with you, so yeah, I want to know.”

“It- It’s someone at the station.” By now the blush had spread all across Lin’s pale skin and to her ears, and Lin had sunk into the couch to get away from Suyin, who was leaning on the back over her. “Moti? Jeral? Ooh, _Saikhan_?”

“What? No!” Toph leaned back and grinned, “I haven’t had this much fun torturing anyone like this since I teased Twinkletoes about his crush on Sugar Queen!”

“Well, how about you stop?!”

“Hmm, who could it be?”

“If I tell you when and where the date will be, will you leave me alone?”

“Maybe.”

“She’s picking me up at six tomorrow, and we’re going to a restaurant near her apartment.” Suyin and Toph didn’t miss a beat, “She?” The redness that had faded came back to Lin’s face with a jolt, she stammered, “I-uh,”

“Wait, wait, wait. Is it _Detective Li_ ?” Lin stood up with a start. She knew her mother would sense her quickened heartbeat, and no doubt Su would see her burning face, but she needed space. ' _Dammit! I should have been more careful. Damn you, Etayla Li! You make me act like a schoolgirl…_ ’ She practically ran to her room and closed the door behind her. After making sure it was locked (It didn’t do anything since she lived with two other metalbenders, but it let them know she wanted privacy, at least.), sunk to the floor. In barely a whisper she said, “Damn you.”

“Soooo, Liiinnn, how’s your day off so far?” Lin looked over the morning paper at her younger sister and glared. “That good, huh? Your _date_ on your nerves?” Lin slammed her teacup onto the table, spilling a bit of liquid on a picture of Detective Li that dominated the front page. She spoke in a growl filled with barely contained emotion: rage and annoyance, Su hadn’t left her alone all that morning and she had reached her breaking point, “ _Drop it_ , will you? Who I go on a date with is (a. None of your business, and (b. The last thing I would talk about, _especially_ with _you_.” Su made a pouty face, “Don’t you realize how big of a deal this is? You haven’t dated anyone since Tenzin-”

“I am sick and tired of having Tenzin’s name _thrown in my face_ , can’t I have breakfast in peace for once?” Su sighed in resignation, “Sure, whatever. This isn’t over, though.” Lin rolled her eyes.

Etay rubbed her temples as she entered the station, an annoyed growl emanating from her. “Hey, Detective! Congrats on solving your case!” it was Moti, a fellow officer. Etay dropped her hand and looked at him. “When I get my hands on the bastard that gave the press my _fucking_ _address_ , I am going to bitch slap them with a UDPI (unlawful distribution of personal information) lawsuit _so hard_ I’ll knock them into the spirit realm. _No one_ mixes my home life and work life and gets away with it.” Moti blinked, everyone knew how patient Etay was, this outburst was a surprise. “Oh, and Moti,” Etay swiveled as she began to walk towards her office to look at him, “Thanks for the congratulations, I appreciate it.”

Etay opened the door to her office and stopped. Her desk was clean, she had finished all her paperwork _before_ the raid, and Chief Beifong said she would handle the arrest reports. However, a stack of letters was piled on her desk. She walked over and sat down, looking at the envelopes. Soon she had stacked them neatly and began looking through them. It took no more than a letter and a half to realize what they were. Fanmail. “ _Spirits_ ,” she said breathlessly. She didn’t notice Chief Beifong standing in the doorframe until she spoke, “You’re quite the overnight sensation, Detective.” Etay’s head snapped up and she began to stand, but the Chief motioned for her to stay seated. “Everyone’s clamoring for you to take on another case.”

“Does that mean I have one?”

“Sadly, yes. There was a murder last night in the Ghunwa district that I’d like you to look into.”

“The Ghunwa district? There’s a murder-a- _week_ there, almost. What makes this one special?” Chief Beifong made a face, “There was a… _symbol_ burned into the victim’s forehead. According to the M.E. report, it was made antemortem.”

“A- _ante_ mortem? If it was made while the victim was alive, that’s torture, classic sadistic behavior. Across history, a single victim with signs of torture usually mean the perpetrator will strike again to satisfy their sick cravings. I’ll go visit the crime scene, see what I can get. Then I’ll go to the morgue. If we can nip this killer in the bud, hopefully, we won’t have any more bodies.” Beifong nodded.

“Lieutenant Wutan? I’m Detective Li, here on the case.” A well-built man with greying hair held out his hand to Etay, “Glad to have you here, Detective. Beat cop who found the body early this morning was making his usual rounds, young guy, rookie. Scared him half out of his mind.” Etay began circling the scene, noting the outline where the body had lain. “The victim was placed in plain sight, the killer didn’t care if he was found, he _wanted_ him to be found. That means he doesn't think we can connect him to the victim. My guess, they didn’t know each other.” she stopped circling and crouched down, tracing the body outline in the air with her finger. “He also placed the victim among trash cans and garbage. Not exactly where you’d put your best friend. He most likely thought of him as garbage, disposable.”

“You got all that from where he put the dead body?”

“Yep.”

“Wow. No wonder you’re all over the news.” Etay winced, “Yeah, still not used to media coverage, they were outside my damn apartment this morning.”

“You’ll get used to it, kinda.”

“Well,” Etay stood, “I should get over to the morgue, see the body for myself, and see if they have anything new.”

Detective Li was on the case.


	7. Moonlight and Murder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long, things have been crazy. I've got a couple of chapters lined up for editing, though, so hopefully, there will be another soon. Gotta go binge Criminal Minds for inspiration, Ciao.

Lin straightened the neckline of her gunmetal grey turtleneck in the mirror. She left her hair in its usual neat bob and had refused Su’s offers to put on her makeup. She tucked her wallet in the pocket of her mild green tunic and her keys into the pants pocket. “Have fun on your  _ daaate _ !” Lin scowled and walked out the door, her heart racing.

Etay knew her heartbeat was out of control, she was on the verge of praying Lin didn’t use her seismic sense. ‘ _ I can’t believe I actually asked her out! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Ugh, I should have waited until some of my newfound  _ popularity  _ fades out. I know she cares about her career, this might bring unwanted attention. I should just… come up with some excuse.  _ But try as hard as she might, Etay couldn’t bear to cancel. Every time she thought about doing so, she would see Lin. She would see those fierce green eyes that drew her into a trance, the silky ebony hair she longed to run her fingers through. Lin’s face just kept coming back.

It was when she saw the pain in Lin’s eyes after that asshat Tenzin broke up with her and she was crying in Etay’s Sato. She didn’t know it that minute, that she had fallen for the jade-eyed metalbender. All she felt was a barely contained urge to stuff Tenzin’s gliding staff down his throat for hurting Lin. She never would have dreamed at that moment she would be asking Lin out a month and a half later.

Etay checked the clock on the dashboard of her Sato: 5:56 pm. Lin was famously punctual, so Etay stepped out and leaned against the side of the Sato like she had done so many times before.

_ Etay leaned against the side of the Sato, arms crossed, daring anyone to mess with her. For the most part, Triads steered clear of her. None of them had actually fought her, but they had seen the guys who had fucked with her. Or, rather, heard about them. They said she could reveal your darkest secrets with a glance, and no one wanted to chance it.  _

_ A little girl, about seven, walked out of the apartment door in front of her, her short brown hair the only difference between her and Etay. “Are you ready, Zhu Li?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “Do you really want to do this? It’s your choice, after all. Zhu, you’re only eight.” _

_ “And, to quote you, far more mature than you’ll ever be.”  _

_ Etay smiled, “Got me there. Promise you’ll say something if they’re a bunch of asses, this foster family?” _

_ “I promise.” Etay’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, “Let’s get going, then, little sister.” _

The apartment door in front of her opened and Lin Beifong stepped out. Etay straightened off her Sato and opened the door for her, ever the gentlewoman. Lin smiled and swatted her on the arm, a faint blush on her cheeks. Etay got in beside her. She had had her reservations about a date with Lin, but she hadn’t expected the awkward aura in the Sato. It came with being co-workers, she supposed. Lin cleared her throat, the blush creeping farther along her face. “Should we get going, then?”

“Oh, ah, yeah.” Etay fumbled with her keys, her nerves getting the best of her. She started the Sato and began driving, an awkward silence filling the Sato once more. Etay struggled not to glance at Lin every few seconds, she was only wearing a turtleneck, but she looked stunning without her armor (and with it, too). Without her armor, and a blush across her face, Lin looked strangely…  _ vulnerable _ . The same protective feeling Etay had when she was crying came rushing back, and she was flooded with relief seeing the restaurant up ahead. “Ah, we’re here.” Lin hummed in agreement and stepped out of the Sato. The tension was nearly unbearable-Etay wanted to  _ scream _ . Inside the restaurant, they were quickly seated. They sat in silence, until Lin set her menu down, “Alright, this is too much. If neither of us say  _ something _ now, the entire evening is going to be like this, and I don’t think either of us wants that.” Etay smiled, “Too true. Here we are, awkward as strangers.”

“Mmm. Speaking of strangers, how’s the press treating you?”

“Ugh,” Etay rolled her eyes, “They found out what my address is, so they  _ attacked  _ me when I set foot outside my apartment.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not  _ that  _ bad.” Etay glared at the smirking Lin, secretly pleased at how easily the awkwardness had dissipated. “Not only that, I already have another case. This is already the highlight of the entire day, the ride over included.” The waiter returned and the two of them placed their orders. “What’s the case about?”

“A murder in the Ghunwa district. Evidence of extreme sadism, and by my guess the killer didn’t know the victim. Surrogacy, possibly.”

“Guess? You never ‘guess’.”

“Ok, fine, the body was placed in plain sight and among trash. That indicates the killer doesn’t think the victim can be connected to them, and they thought of them as disposable, trash. The amount of rage needed for the amount of torture and overkill shown takes years of suppressing to get that bad.”

“Someone’s been doing their homework.”

“Sadly. Enough about a dead body, we still have to eat. How’ve you been for the past few days?”

“Ah, yes. Well, I narrowly avoided getting my nose broken by someone I pulled over on a speeding violation, but other than the raid on the syndicate weapon stash, nothing particularly interesting.”

“Well, that’s all well and good, but how about  _ you  _ Lin?” The waiter brought them their food, and Etay could have  _ sworn  _ she saw a tinge of pink on Lin’s face at her inquiry. “Su’s been annoying as ever, between her and mom they figured out I was going on a date-” Etay choked on the water she had just drunk. After furiously coughing she looked at a concerned-looking Lin. “They  _ what _ ? Oh, Spirits.” Lin raised an eyebrow, “I’m meeting with her early tomorrow to give her an update on the case, and  _ oh Spirits _ she  _ knows _ .” Etay’s discomfort made Lin laugh, “At least it isn’t my sister you’re meeting with, that’s all she would talk about!”

“ _ Ahem _ , so, on a less uncomfortable subject, since you have a dozen books on plants, have you heard of a Cassava plant?” Lin’s brow furrowed, “Yes, it’s not well known, though. It is edible when cooked properly, but most of the very few places in the world that sell it refer to it as Yuca, why?”

“In my case, the victim died from cyanide poisoning. There was approximately a quarter of a pound of Cassava in the stomach, would that be enough to kill a person?”

“Yes, if the Cassava was cultivated with very little water, the cyanide percentage would be high enough.”

“Thanks, that’s all I needed to know, Lin.” She sighed, “Somehow this conversation keeps turning to murder, tch.”

“Well, we’re both dedicated to out jobs, and those involve murders far too often.” There was silence at the table. It continued long enough for Lin to build up the courage to break it, “Sometimes it seems the only thing we have in common is our job, and even those are different now.”

“That may be so, but we still find plenty of other things to talk about, well, except tonight,” Etay felt heat creep onto her face, “Lin,” she paused, “I guess I didn’t know it at the time, I was trying my hardest to drive and not crash because I kept thinking about shoving Tenzin’s glider down his throat, but…” Etay knew her face was red, but Lin’s wide eyes gleamed with barely contained anticipation, so she continued. “I care about you deeply, I want you to know that.”

“That means a lot, even coming from you.” Etay’s brow furrowed, “What’s that supposed to mean, ‘even from you’?”

“It means,  _ Detective _ , that you flirt with anything that  _ breathes _ . I only knew you were sincere because I used my seismic sense.” Etay turned bright red, “I do  _ not  _ flirt that much! And yes, I was being sincere, we’re on a date, aren’t we?” Now it was Lin’s turn to blush, they seemed to have been taking turns at it for the entire evening. “Yeah, I suppose we are.”

It was much later that evening when Etay drove Lin home, the light coming from windows, headlights, and streetlamps, but still not enough to completely illuminate the darkness. Lin stepped out of the Sato and walked around to the driver’s side, crossing her arms and looking at Etay expectantly. She smiled as Etay rolled her eyes and lowered the window. “Thanks for tonight, even if it was a bit of a rocky start, I had fun.”

Etay saw stars. This couldn’t actually be happening. She blinked furiously, clearing her vision to see Lin entering her apartment. ‘ _ Did Lin just… kiss me? _ ’ Etay shook herself and tentatively raised her hand to her cheek, where she could still feel it burn where Lin had kissed her. She dropped it and smiled. Etay looked up at the apartment building, where she swore she saw someone in a grey turtleneck looking through a window. Her smile widened, and she drove away.

When she woke up in the morning, Etay stared at the ceiling, still in shock. ‘ _ Lin kissed me. She kissed me. _ ’ She repeated it over and over in her mind, a mantra she let dominate her thoughts. She was snapped out of her reverie by a realization, and she sat up. “Shit.” She still had to have a meeting with Chief Beifong. Who knew she had gone on a date with her daughter. “I am so dead.”

After hauling herself out of bed, Etay grudgingly put on her uniform and ate a hasty breakfast. She didn’t want to face Chief Beifong right now, or, rather, at all. She also didn’t want to be late, however, so far too soon, she found herself in her office, awaiting Chief Beifong to call her to her office. There was a knock on her door, and Beifong’s assistant and translator poked his head in, “Chief Beifong wants you in their office, Detective.” There was a sinking feeling in Etay’s stomach, “I’ll be right there.” ‘ _ Well, time for me to die. _ ’

“Detective, how’s the case so far?”

“Surprisingly well, Chief, I know the cause of death, and from that, I know a lot about who the killer is. The design burned into the forehead is a lily, and the cause of death is cyanide poisoning from Cassava, a method that requires uncommon knowledge. That, paired with the fact that the design was burned on antemortem makes me believe the killer is a botanist.”

“A botanist?”

“Torture without anyone walking in requires a secluded area, hard to come by in this city, but a botanist would have a greenhouse, as well a the knowledge and access to Cassava. That, and the lily design. The man who did this also didn’t know the victim, the display he placed the body in supports that.”

“Do you have a proper profile?”

“Yes, should I present it?”

“Absolutely.”

Etay stood in front of almost the entire department, her partial geographical profile behind her and Chief Beifong beside her, hands clasped behind her back. “The man we are looking for is of Republic City origin, most likely partially or wholly of Earth Kingdom descent. He is in his late twenties to early thirties, a botanist who is self-employed. He is most likely in this area, so concentrate here,” Etay turned and pointed to the map behind her, “ But he could also be outside of it, leave no stone unturned. He is an experienced botanist, most likely with a degree. They have to have a greenhouse to be a suspect, check them for Cassava, anyone who has it is instantly a suspect. There is information on Cassava on the sheets here,” Etay gestured to a small table laden with paper, “Be on the lookout for traces of blood, as well. The display of the body showed an absence of forensic countermeasures.

“This killer has a lot of pent up anger, and it shows in his kill. Look for someone in an abusive relationship or home or someone with one of the two in their past. Lastly, I ask you to be careful in your canvassing, the victim was blitz attacked, so he never saw it coming. That is all, questions?” An officer close to the back holding a notepad raised his hand, “You’re absolutely sure this murderer is male? Most botanists are female.”

“Yes, I am absolutely sure. The killer had to be able to move the body, so they’re most likely male. That and women tend to use less…  _ messy  _ methods, poison and the like. They also tend to use better forensic countermeasures. So yes, I am sure the killer is male. Anything else?” Etay clasped her hands behind her back. When silence filled the room, she spoke, “Well, then, let’s get canvassing, we have a killer to catch.”

Shouts and curses issued from the police station. A group of officers held a struggling man down, one of them sporting what looked to be a broken nose. Chief Beifong strode out of her office, Etay close on her heels. “What in Oma’s name is going on out here?”

“We’ve arrested a suspect, Chief.” One of the officers handed Etay an arrest report. “Hmm. This isn’t the killer.”

“What? This guy is a botanist with a degree, a male with a greenhouse with Cassava, and ran when we asked to see his greenhouse!”

“He ran because of the illegal narcotics he was growing, it lists them in the report. I’m not saying release him, I’m saying don’t hold him on suspicion of murder.” The officers hauled the man to his feet and led him in the direction of the cells. Etay sighed, this was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I somehow managed to write this in between schoolwork, binging Netflix, and screaming like a fangirl.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic, I plan on posting a chapter at least once a week, the whole thing is probably going to be like a short novel. I do not own any character from Avatar: The Last Airbender, or Legend of Korra.


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